Veleda Cave, Cultural heritage cave in Bestwig, Germany

Veleda Cave is a cave near Bestwig-Velmede in the Sauerland with a total passage length of 243 m and a depth of about 50 m, making it one of Westphalia's deepest caves. It consists of a large hall divided in two and a side passage ending after about 80 m in the Schusterstübchen. Of its three north-facing entrances, only the western one is walkable; the middle Fuchsloch can only be crawled through, and the eastern entrance would require ladders.

Archaeological excavations led by geologist Emil Carthaus revealed that the cave was inhabited during the Iron Age. The findings included human remains alongside pottery and jewelry, providing evidence of prolonged use as a dwelling or refuge site.

The name links the cave to the Germanic prophetess Veleda, whom Tacitus places in a tower on the Lippe, not near the Ruhr; the connection may be a modern scholarly invention joining the nearby village name Velmede with Tacitus. The Sauerland legend "Das Hollenloch zu Velmede" says Veleda lived in the cave for a time. Around 1860, people walked to the cave on Easter Sunday before lighting the Easter fire and threw stones into the lower hall; they also read the pond's water level to predict a fruitful or barren year. These customs ended after World War I.

Access to Veleda Cave requires permission from the municipality of Bestwig, so arrange it before setting out. Of the three north-facing entrances, only the western one is walkable; the middle Fuchsloch can only be crossed by crawling, and the eastern, largest entrance would need ladders. The cave lies south of Bestwig-Velmede in a narrow band of Middle Devonian Sparganophyllum limestone.

A narrow passage extends into the cave depths where researchers discovered a substantial collection of ancient bones scattered throughout. This network of interconnected chambers reveals how early inhabitants made use of different spaces within the same site.